Improvement in buggy-tops



C. E. SMITH.- BUGGY-TOPQ No. 187,188. Patented Feb. 6, 1877'.

- III'N s s I JJNVENTOR.

- ATTORNEYS;

N-PETERS, FHOTG-LITHDGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. SMITH, OF RICHMOND, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUGGY-TOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o.' 187,188, dated February 6, 1877 application filed d January 13, 1877.

To all whom it may concern;

' Be it known that I, CHARLES EDWARD SMITH, of Richmond, in the county of Madison and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Buggy- Tops; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon. v Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of central vertical section of my buggy-top, and Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of the same.

This invention relates to tops for buggies, and consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the parts hereinafter described.

In the annexed drawings, A designates the body of a buggy or similar vehicle, and B B designate the two upright bows supporting the arched top-frame O. The said bows converge below on each side, where they are united by a U-shaped plate, D, pivoted to the sideof said body A at d, so as to be capable of backward and forward vibration on said pivot. The rear limb of said U-shaped plate is made longer than the front limb thereof, and both of its limbs are set into and firmly secured to the inside of the ends of said upright bows B B. The construction, arran gement, and use of the two U-shaped plates -D are substantially the same in both cases.

E designates a forwardly-extending supplemental bow, (shown in detail in Fig. 3,) and E designates a corresponding rear how. The former of said bows is secured to the front of the foremost upright bow B, while the rear supplemental bow E is secured in like manner to the rear of the other upright bow B. Said supplemental front and rear bows, respectively, support the depressed front and rear ends of the top-frame 0. They are also braced by longitudinal bars F, which rigidly connect all of said bows B B E E on each side, and at the base of said top-frame, which is composed of similar but curved longitudinal topbars 0 c. The said top is sustained in its up right position by means of two inclined rear braces or joints, one of which (marked G) is shown in Fig. 1. Said braces or joints are jointed in the usualmanner, so that when the parts contiguous to the single joint in each of them are pulled or pushed. backward the said braces fold together, and the top 0 drops backward out of the way. The reverse action, when the said top is raised, straightens the said braces, as shown in Fig. 1, and rigidly supports the said top in such position. The attachment of front bow E to bow B is made more secure by constructing a notch, b, in the front of the latter, and setting into the same the beveled ends 0 of said front bow. The attachment of supplemental rear bow E is made by similar parts, similarly lettered.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of main bows B B, supplemental front bow E, and rear bow E, U- shaped plates D, top (J, and braces G, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES EDWARD SMITH.-

Witnesses:

A. J. REED, A. B. LYMAN. 

